Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

The Impact Of Reporting Patient Safety Events: An Integrative Review, Catherine M. Amitrano

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Since the 1999 Institute of Medicine landmark report, To Err is Human, leading organizations such as the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality have been working with healthcare leaders to reduce patient harm. A problem in healthcare is errors continue to occur at alarming rates. The COVID-19 pandemic impacted patient safety efforts and organizations are trying to get to pre-pandemic patient safety progress. The purpose of this integrative review was to review and evaluate individual research studies on patient safety event reporting and summarize what is known about the topic in terms of how patient safety event reporting impacts patient …

Improving The Socio-Emotional Competence Of Academic Nurse Educators: An Experimental Study, Helen Freeman

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

An academic nurse educator with a high level of socio-emotional competence (SEC) can create an inviting learning environment that promotes the highest level of achievement from students. The purpose of this two-group pretest-posttest experimental study was to determine the extent of effectiveness of socio-emotional intelligence education and a reflection-guided professional development plan in improving the socio-emotional competence of academic nurse educators. The Bar-On emotional social intelligence (ESI) conceptual model and the Purkey invitational theory were frameworks used to guide the study. The Emotional Quotient Inventory (EQ-i 2.0) was used as the data collection instrument to measure the pretest and posttest …

Do More Than Train New Nurses...Retain Them! A Qualitative Research Study, Kerrin L. Hampton

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study is to understand the orientation experiences of new graduate nurses and identify retention practices that are relevant and beneficial to the population of interest. Study participants were new graduate nurses employed at a five-hospital healthcare system. Using social constructivism as the theoretical framework, the study sought to answer the research question of what are the lived experiences of new graduate nurses during orientation? Ten new graduate nurses participated in individual interviews to discuss their personal orientation experiences. The interviews informed the researcher regarding the meaning and value new graduates place on their orientation …

Exploring The Lived Experiences Of Rural Texas School Counselors Working With Students’ Mental Health After The Covid-19 Pandemic, Lanessa K. Allman

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive phenomenological study was to describe the lived experiences of rural Texas counselors when working with students’ mental health in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. The study aims to answer questions of what school counselors describe as the mental health environment for students in rural Texas schools prior, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic and the changes in the mental health environment of rural students. Most existing research has been focused on how COVID-19 changed school counselors’ roles and responsibilities and how the pandemic affected students’ mental health. The current study concentrated on the …

Facilitator Ethnicity And Clinical Judgement Among Senior Minority Students Using Unfolding Case Studies, Rachael King

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Unfolding case studies are a technique used in advancing critical thinking in order for nursing students to enhance their clinical judgement. The format at which they are delivered can influence the degree of learning, understanding, applying, analyzing, and evaluating for students, especially senior minority nursing students. This quasi-experimental posttest survey between-groups study involved implementing unfolding case studies with a randomly selected minority or non-minority facilitator video recording for senior minority nursing students. After completing the case study, all participants were given a posttest survey, the Clinical Decision Making in Nursing Scale (Jenkins, 1983). The survey evaluates students’ self-perceived clinical judgement. …

Faith-Based Intervention To Prevent Adolescent Self-Injury: An Integrative Review, Adekemi O. Akinyemi

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This integrative review explores the efficacy of incorporating faith-based (Christian/spiritual) interventions within the framework of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) to prevent non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) among adolescents aged 11-19. As the prevalence of NSSI among this demographic group continues to rise, understanding the potential benefits and challenges of integrating faith-based components into evidence-based therapeutic approaches is crucial. The review synthesizes existing literature, drawing on empirical studies, theoretical frameworks, and clinical evidence to assess the impact of faith-based integration in DBT. Through a comprehensive analysis of diverse sources (e.g. CINAHL, PubMed, PsycINFO, NIH) this review was able to shed light on the …

Using The Motivated Information Management Theory And The Social Support Theory To Understand Caregiver Perspectives Of Currently Available Health Communication Regarding Dementia: A Qualitative Study, Sara J. Alig

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Dementia brings a cascade of changes into the life of not only the person facing it, but also the lives of the supporting family and caregivers. Dementia manifests with a gradual decline, or in some cases, a variably progressive decline in cognitive abilities. This decline requires the individual to rely more and more on caregivers. Caregiving necessitates the giving of oneself for another’s sake and oftentimes results in negative physical and social-emotional side effects. To navigate through the changes that are happening to their loved ones, as well as to themselves, caregivers need educational and social support. The purpose of …

A Phenomenological Study Of Adult Patients With Auto-Immune Disease And Their Exposure To Adverse Childhood Experiences, Milton Louis Gonzalez

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative phenomenological study explored and described the shared experiences of individuals impacted by an autoimmune disease and their exposure to adverse childhood experiences. The theory guiding this study was Vygotsky’s social constructivist theory, utilizing Kaiser Permanente’s Adverse Childhood Experience study as a guide to create awareness amongst physicians and mental health professionals, leading them to a more holistic approach when treating patients affected by an autoimmune disease. This was a qualitative study using Husserl’s transcendental phenomenology (TPh). The data collection methods used in the study included questionnaires, individual interviews, and document analysis. These forms of data were analyzed through …

An Investigation Of The Effect Of A Combined Physical Exercise And Counseling As A Therapeutic Approach To Reducing Anxiety Symptoms, Andrea C. Beltran

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Mental health issues are on the rise as the increase in emotional, psychological, and social well-being affects how people think, act, or feel toward themselves and others. The topic of physical exercise and mental health services has been researched to show a strong relationship between physical activity and positive mental health outcomes. Anxiety is the most common mental health concern in the United States (Goodwin et al., 2020). This study aims to investigate and quantify the impact and explore the relationships of the combined intervention approach of physical activity and counseling in reducing symptoms of anxiety. This research will utilize …

A Causal Relationship Between Mobile Health Wearable Devices’ Use And Improved Hypertension Management In African-Born Immigrants Aged 45-75 In Maricopa County, Arizona, Nelson Mcnova Bryant

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this causal-comparative study was to determine if differences exist between the use of mHealth wearable devices, specifically smartwatches, and the improvement in hypertension control. The target participants were 100 African-born immigrants, both males and females aged 45-75 who lived in Maricopa County, Arizona. In the study, 100 research participants with a hypertension diagnosis were divided into two equal groups. Group 1 consisted of 50 African-born immigrants who used mHealth wearable devices, specifically the Dafit M2 smartwatches to manage hypertension (which they received for free from the researcher). Group 2 consisted of 50 African-born immigrants who used a …

Undergraduate Baccalaureate Nursing Student Knowledge And Attitudes Towards Neonatal And Pediatric Pain Management Practices, Jordan Lee Slowik

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Research has indicated that pain management practices amongst registered nurses is inadequate across all age groups; however, it is frequently noted that children receive less analgesia in comparable situations than adult clients leading to harmful and costly consequences. There is a distinct gap in nursing educational research understanding nursing student knowledge and attitudes towards neonatal and pediatric pain management practices. Using a convenience sample from a private, Christian-based university in the southeastern United States, this study used a quasi-experimental, one-group pretest/posttest design to understand the impact of elective nursing courses on undergraduate baccalaureate nursing student knowledge and attitudes towards neonatal …

An Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis Exploring African American Women’S Perceptions Of Access To Healthcare In The Midwest, Ramona D. Benson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this interpretive phenomenological study was to explore access to healthcare through the lens and lived experiences of African American Women (AAW) in Midwestern towns throughout the United States. African American women and other people of low socio-economic backgrounds continue to live with poorer health outcomes than many of their counterparts African American Women experience barriers to healthcare from a unique perspective than their White counterparts. Although medical professionals endeavor to attain equal treatment among each of their patients, significant healthcare disparities are prevalent among AAW Commonly recognized ethnic stereotypes are not always intentionally supported, however, their mere …

Therapeutic Advances In The Management Of Type Ii Diabetes, Ashfod Mukula

Senior Honors Theses

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a metabolic disorder characterized by persistent hyperglycemia. This condition occurs due to two main factors: β-cell dysfunction and reduced response to insulin by cells and tissues with insulin receptors (insulin resistance). Insulin resistance occurs when the body fails to respond to insulin; therefore, cells and tissues are impaired in transporting glucose, leading to abnormally high glucose levels in circulation. Insulin resistance is a multifactorial condition; thus, the eminent cause is not fully known. Individual health conditions and genetic predisposition have been postulated to cause it. Molecularly, insulin resistance has been associated with complications in …

Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia: Pathophysiology And The Effects Of The Microbiome, Anjali Jacob

Senior Honors Theses

Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is a chronic neonatal lung disease that occurs in over 50% of premature infants. BPD is characterized by damage to the alveoli and bronchioles and improper vasculature formation. It is primarily caused by overexposure to oxygen through mechanical ventilation, but there are other risk factors that make infants more susceptible to BPD. Microbial composition impacts risk for developing BPD, and research is ongoing about the effects of the microbiome on BPD pathogenesis; this information is also valuable for preventative treatment. This paper reviews the normal function of the lungs, pathogenesis of BPD and how it affects normal …

Potential Adverse Cardiovascular Side Effects Following Mrna Covid-19 Vaccination, Abigayle Strohmeier

Senior Honors Theses

The COVID-19 vaccine, regarded as a triumph by some and a danger by others, has been studied due to the presence of adverse cardiovascular side effects experienced by some individuals following vaccination. Incidence and prevalence rates of these effects are examined by various demographic factors, primarily age and sex. The most prevalent adverse cardiovascular effects noted are myocarditis, pericarditis, cardiovascular disease, tachycardia, hypertension, palpitation, and acute myocardial infarction. Due to the novelty of the mRNA COVID-19 vaccine, many health studies have focused their data analysis on age or sex characteristics, however many excellent opportunities for future research are necessary to …

The Molecular Basis Of Maple Syrup Urine Disease, Chloe Jensen

Senior Honors Theses

Maple syrup urine disease (MSUD) is a rare metabolic disorder that is caused by mutations in the branched chain alpha keto acid dehydrogenase enzyme complex (BCKDC). There are three main genes, the BCKDHA, BCKDHB, and DBT, that affect the BCKDC, all contributing to the onset of the disease. MSUD causes encephalopathy, neural deficits, maple syrup scented urine, coma, and even death if not treated due to the aggregation of branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs). There is currently no known cure for patients with MSUD, but the condition can be managed to improve quality of life. This review serves to examine MSUD …

An Analysis Of Strength Training Implementation In Ballet, Claire Hoover

Senior Honors Theses

Ballet, a style of dance that is known for its 180-degree external rotation, extreme precision, discipline, and aesthetics, is an athletic activity that is undertaken by many young people, particularly females. Although ballet has many athletic components, recent studies have shown there are a variety of weaknesses that impact its participants, including the female athlete triad, lack of lower extremity muscular strength, risk of injury, and overtraining. According to recent research, strength training, although not historically paired with ballet, could minimize ballet dancers’ deficiencies by increasing muscular strength and reducing risk of injury and incidence of the female athlete triad. …

Detection And Extraction Of Pfoa And Pfos Via Mips, Joseph Redding

Senior Honors Theses

Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) are utilized as surfactants in many different materials. With an immensely stable structure due to the presence of carbon-fluorine bonds, PFOA and PFOS are resistant to degradation. Known to persist in water resources, these compounds tend to bioaccumulate and impute toxic effects on human health, such as decreased fertility and immune function. To date, there exists no effective approach to the removal of these lingering compounds. Because of the health risks, there is increasing urgency to devise a means by which to detect and withdraw PFOA and PFOS from the environment. In …

The Alexander Technique Applied To Dance And The Choreographic Process: Freeing Physical Expression From Trauma-Based Tension, Julia Johnston

Senior Honors Theses

Ballet, contemporary, and modern dancers have expressed incurring trauma during their training and professional dance experiences; in a 2020 survey, 41% of professional dancers and 30% of ballet students reported experiencing or witnessing sexually inappropriate behavior in their respective workplaces and schools (DDP). This is just one example of a potential source of trauma for dancers. The physiological effects of trauma cause physical effects, creating tension in a dancer’s body. Dance relies on physical expression, the expression of thought and feeling through movement, to connect with the audience. Trauma-based tension inhibits a dancer’s range of physical expression and connection to …

The Purification And Thermal Stability Of The Peroxidase Enzyme In Cucurbita Moschata, Garen Hamner

Senior Honors Theses

Peroxidases are enzymes that catalyze the reduction of hydrogen peroxide to water while oxidizing organic substrates and are valuable in spheres like industrial and medical applications and histochemistry. Limitations still exist in the use of the well-studied horseradish peroxidase for certain activities due to limitations like poor thermal stability, thus the search for novel peroxidases that can overcome these limitations is an active area of research. Butternut squash peroxidase (Cucurbita moschata) (BSP) shows promise due to significant activity being found in the skin and apparent enhanced thermal stability, but an efficient purification scheme for it is lacking, as well as …

An Exploration Of The Lived Experience Of Novice Adjunct Nursing Faculty As They Transition From Clinical Expert To Novice Educator, Angelique Tolentino-Martin

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This transcendental phenomenological study aimed to describe and understand the lived experiences of novice adjunct nursing faculty teaching in the United States in undergraduate nursing programs as they transition from clinical practice to academia. The theories that guided this study are Meleis’ transition theory and Schoening’s nurse educator transition model which provide a framework for the transition experiences for novice adjunct nursing faculty. The central research question is: What are the lived experiences of novice undergraduate adjunct nursing faculty transitioning from clinical expert to novice nurse faculty? Purposive sampling and snowball sampling were used to recruit participants who were novice …

Simulation And Self-Efficacy In The Student Registered Nurse Anesthetist: A Quantitative, Causal-Comparative Study, Joseph Craig Kiesznowski

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative, causal-comparative study was to determine if simulation training causes a significant increase in clinical self-efficacy in Student Registered Nurse Anesthetists. Simulation training in healthcare has been found to improve patient safety and has become a major tenet of nurse anesthetist education. Self-efficacy has been shown to correlate with improved clinical performance. This study builds on the research involving simulation training and clinical self-efficacy in the SRNA population. A convenience sample of SRNAs was taken from 49 different graduate nurse anesthesia programs across 13 different states. The Schwarzer and Jerusalem General Self-efficacy scale was used to …

The Predictive Relationship Between Pre-Nursing Boot Camp Participation And Successful Completion Of The First Semester And Retention In An Associate Degree Nursing Program, Misty Beth Stine

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

First semester students in undergraduate nursing programs are at the highest risk for attrition, so retention of these students is a priority concern. The purpose of this non-experimental correlational predictive quantitative study was to investigate whether participation in a pre-nursing student boot camp is predictive of successful completion of the first semester and retention at an Associate Degree Nursing program at a community college in the rural Southwestern United States. Data was retrospectively obtained from archival student records for all first semester nursing students accepted into the ADN program from 2018-2022. Sample size was N = 227. The chi-square test …

Use Of Acupuncture As A Complementary Therapy For The Treatment Of Chronic Pain In The Veteran Population To Improve Outcomes: An Integrative Review, Tabitha T. Smithers

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Clinical care in patient management is progressive and should change as evidence-based practice research is available. Veterans’ experiences with pain related to their service-related injuries are unique. This pain can limit their ability to function in society successfully. Many of the patients continue to experience uncontrolled pain, as well as side effects from medications that have been prescribed. This integrative review focused on the use of acupuncture as a complementary therapy to improve pain and quality of life in the Veteran population. The review analyzes systematic reviews, randomized control trials, and additional levels of evidence from scholarly articles supporting the …

A Persuasive Case Against Government Authority In End-Of-Life Decisions For Vegetative Patients, Helen Gizachew

Helm's School of Government Conference - American Revival: Citizenship & Virtue

The debate over whether the government should have jurisdiction to withdraw life support from people in a vegetative state is heating up, producing a persuasive case emphasizing the need to protect human liberty and oppose government overreach in matters of life and death. The key tenet of this argument is individual autonomy, which stresses a person's freedom to make decisions about their own life and body. Giving the government the authority to decide the fate of people in vegetative states violates this basic right, setting a dangerous precedent that undermines personal liberty and self-determination. Entrusting such decisions to a bureaucratic …

Confronting Cosmetic Carcinogens: A Proposal Regarding The Dangers Of Talcum Powder, Rachael Howell

Helm's School of Government Conference - American Revival: Citizenship & Virtue

The Federal Government needs to stop the import, export, mining, and distribution of talcum powder in the United States. This is an issue that affects all Americans, especially active-duty military members.

Since 2013, there have been over 38,000 lawsuits against Johnson & Johnson, which allege that their talcum-based baby powder caused cancer. The plaintiffs in the very first talc case in the U.S. have died. All four of the plaintiffs from a 2019 suit have died. Yet, the 2019 case has been reversed and remanded. The FDA has redacted the names of scientist(s) that conduct “safety tests” on talc samples. …

Fad Diets And How They Work In The Human Body, Isabella Huner

Senior Honors Theses

Diets are often viewed as a quick fix to obtaining a goal weight or achieving a dream body. What people fail to understand are the processes that take place within the body while undergoing a particular diet. While some diets may aid in weight reduction, the harm put on the body is easily overlooked.

Through an in-depth analysis on three of the most popular fad diets—the ketogenic diet, intermittent fasting, and the Paleolithic diet—shows how the diet came about, how it works in the body from a basic to a cellular level, and the risks posed by these diets. Knowledge …

Overview Of The Health Impacts Of Oral Contraceptives On The Female Body, Christi Fertich

Senior Honors Theses

Oral hormonal birth control is frequently used by women for the regulation of medical conditions or as a contraceptive method. However, many women are dissatisfied with the side effects they experience while taking birth control, such as mood changes or oligomenorrhea. The primary objective of this paper is to conduct a scholarly literature review of the side effects caused by oral hormonal birth control, including an explanation of the mechanism of action of these contraceptives on the female reproductive system. The results of this review showed that some perceived side effects, such as weight gain, have little scientific basis, while …

Modern Approaches To Treating Hospital Acquired Infections: An Overview Of Current Treatments Using Antibiotics And New Therapies Centered Around Photo-Activated Porphyrins, Meghan Johns

Senior Honors Theses

Annually, hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) affect hundreds of thousands of people in the U.S. and impose a great economic burden. The current problem is further exacerbated due to the failure of traditional treatment strategies considering the rise in antimicrobial resistance rates. Besides the fact that antimicrobial resistances complicates clinical treatment strategies, patients are also more vulnerable to secondary infections and complications from prolonged antibiotic use. As a result, research investigating novel treatment strategies for bacterial infections has recently increased. A strategy using porphyrin-based compounds is showing promise. Porphyrins and their derivatives have exhibited bactericidal effects against Gram-positive bacteria by the destruction …

The Differences In Covid-19 Infection Rates: An Examination Of Residential Care Communities (Rccs), Han Yang

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Infection control practices (ICPs) are crucial for maintaining the health and safety of residents in a residential care community (RCC). This paper examines the differences in COVID-19 infection rates and cases based on the characteristics of RCCs, such as ICPs, personal protective equipment (PPE) shortages, ownership type (for-profit vs. nonprofit), census regions, and RCC size. While ICPs contribute significantly to preventing and controlling the highly contagious virus, a comprehensive program is encouraged to provide a targeted intervention based on RCC’s environmental factors. The importance of the characteristics of the RCCs must be considered in combing with the ICPs to enhance …